श्रेयांसं मार्गम् अन्विच्छन् सदा यः पृच्छति द्विजान् धर्मान्वेषी गुणाकाङ्क्षी स स्वर्गं समुपाश्नुते
He who, always seeking the better path, questions the twice-born about dharma, desiring virtue, attains heaven.
यदि मानुष्यतां देवि कदाचित् संनियच्छति मेधावी धारणायुक्तः प्राज्ञस् तत्रापि जायते
If ever such a wise and attentive person is born as a human, he is born endowed with intelligence.
एष देवि सतां धर्मो गन्तव्यो भूतिकारकः नृणां हितार्थाय सदा मया चैवम् उदाहृतः
O Goddess, this is the righteous path of the virtuous, which brings prosperity; I have always declared it for the welfare of people.
अपरे स्वल्पविज्ञाना धर्मविद्वेषिणो नराः ब्राह्मणान् वेदविदुषो नेच्छन्ति परिसर्पितुम्
Other men, of little understanding and hostile to righteousness, do not wish to associate with Brahmins who are learned in the Vedas.
व्रतवन्तो नराः केचिच् छ्रद्धादमपरायणाः अव्रता भ्रष्टनियमास् तथान्ये राक्षसोपमाः
Some men observe vows but are devoted to false faith; others are without vows, fallen from discipline, and are like demons.
यज्वानश् च तथैवान्ये निर्मोहाश् च तथा परे केन कर्मविपाकेन भवन्तीह वदस्व मे
There are also others who perform sacrifices, and some who are free from delusion; by what result of actions do they become so—tell me this.
आगमालोकधर्माणां मर्यादाः पूर्वनिर्मिताः प्रमाणेनानुवर्तन्ते दृश्यन्ते ह दृढव्रताः
The boundaries of the righteous ways, as seen in the scriptures, were established in ancient times; those firm in vows are seen to follow them as authority.
अधर्मं धर्मम् इत्य् आहुर् ये च मोहवशं गताः अव्रता नष्टमर्यादास् ते नरा ब्रह्मराक्षसाः
Those who, out of delusion, call unrighteousness righteousness, who are without vows and have lost all boundaries—such men are Brahma-rakshasas.
ये वै कालकृतोद्योगात् संभवन्तीह मानवाः निर्होमा निर्वषट्कारास् ते भवन्ति नराधमाः
Those men who, due to the influence of time, are born here without offering oblations or uttering the sacred 'vaṣaṭ'—they become the lowest of men.
एष देवि मया सर्वसंशयच्छेदनाय ते कुशलाकुशलो नॄणां व्याख्यातो धर्मसागरः
O Goddess, for the removal of all your doubts, I have explained to you this ocean of righteousness, both good and bad, as it pertains to men.
श्रुत्वैवं सा जगन्माता भर्तुर् वचनम् आदितः हृष्टा बभूव सुप्रीता विस्मिता च तदा द्विजाः
Hearing thus the words of her husband from the beginning, the Mother of the Universe became delighted, greatly pleased, and amazed at that time, O twice-born.
ये तत्रासन् मुनिवरास् त्रिपुरारेः समीपतः तीर्थयात्राप्रसङ्गेन गतास् तस्मिन् गिरौ द्विजाः
Those eminent sages who were present near the enemy of Tripura, having come to that mountain on the occasion of a pilgrimage, O twice-born—
ते ऽपि संपूज्य तं देवं शूलपाणिं प्रणम्य च पप्रच्छुः संशयं चैव लोकानां हितकाम्यया
They too, after worshipping that god who bears the trident and bowing to him, asked a question for the welfare of the worlds, seeking to resolve their doubt.
त्रिलोचन नमस् ते ऽस्तु दक्षक्रतुविनाशन पृच्छामस् त्वां जगन्नाथ संशयं हृदि संस्थितम्
O Three-eyed One, destroyer of Daksha's sacrifice, obeisance to you! We ask you, Lord of the Universe, about the doubt that dwells in our hearts.
संसारे ऽस्मिन् महाघोरे भैरवे लोमहर्षणे भ्रमन्ति सुचिरं कालं पुरुषाश् चाल्पमेधसः
In this dreadful and terrifying world, men of little intelligence wander for a long time.
येनोपायेन मुच्यन्ते जन्मसंसारबन्धनात् ब्रूहि तच् छ्रोतुम् इच्छामः परं कौतूहलं हि नः
By what means are people released from the bondage of birth and worldly existence? Tell us that—we wish to hear, for our curiosity is great.
कर्मपाशनिबद्धानां नराणां दुःखभागिनाम् नान्योपायं प्रपश्यामि वासुदेवात् परं द्विजाः
For men bound by the fetters of karma and afflicted by suffering, I see no other means except Vāsudeva, O twice-born.
ये पूजयन्ति तं देवं शङ्खचक्रगदाधरम् वाङ्मनःकर्मभिः सम्यक् ते यान्ति परमां गतिम्
Those who worship that god who holds the conch, discus, and mace, with speech, mind, and actions in the right way—they attain the highest state.
किं तेषां जीवितेनेह पशुवच् चेष्टितेन च येषां न प्रवणं चित्तं वासुदेवे जगन्मये
What is the use of life here, or of actions like those of animals, for those whose minds are not inclined toward Vāsudeva, the soul of the universe?
पिनाकिन् भगनेत्रघ्न सर्वलोकनमस्कृत माहात्म्यं वासुदेवस्य श्रोतुम् इच्छाम शंकर
O Pinākin, destroyer of Bhaga's eye, honored by all the worlds, we wish to hear of the greatness of Vāsudeva, O Śaṅkara.
पितामहाद् अपि वरः शाश्वतः पुरुषो हरिः कृष्णो जाम्बूनदाभासो व्यभ्रे सूर्य इवोदितः
Hari, the eternal person, is superior even to the Grandfather; Krishna shines with the radiance of gold, like the sun rising in a cloudless sky.
दशबाहुर् महातेजा देवतारिनिषूदनः श्रीवत्साङ्को हृषीकेशः सर्वदैवतयूथपः
He has ten arms, immense brilliance, and is the destroyer of enemies of the gods; marked with the Srivatsa, Hrishikesha, leader of all the hosts of deities.
ब्रह्मा तस्योदरभवस् तस्याहं च शिरोभवः शिरोरुहेभ्यो ज्योतींषि रोमभ्यश् च सुरासुराः
Brahma was born from his abdomen, and I from his head; from the hairs of his head came the lights, and from his body hair, the gods and demons.
ऋषयो देहसंभूतास् तस्य लोकाश् च शाश्वताः पितामहगृहं साक्षात् सर्वदेवगृहं च सः
The sages arose from his body, and the eternal worlds as well; his house is truly the abode of the Grandfather and of all the gods.
सो ऽस्याः पृथिव्याः कृत्स्नायाः स्रष्टा त्रिभुवनेश्वरः संहर्ता चैव भूतानां स्थावरस्य चरस्य च
He is the creator of this entire earth, the lord of the three worlds, and the destroyer of all beings, both stationary and moving.
स हि देवदेवः साक्षाद् देवनाथः परंतपः सर्वज्ञः सर्वसंस्रष्टा सर्वगः सर्वतोमुखः
He is indeed the god of gods, the lord of the gods, the supreme scorcher; all-knowing, creator of all, all-pervading, and facing in every direction.
न तस्मात् परमं भूतं त्रिषु लोकेषु किंचन सनातनो महाभागो गोविन्द इति विश्रुतः
There is nothing higher than him in the three worlds; he is eternal, greatly fortunate, and renowned as Govinda.
स सर्वान् पार्थिवान् संख्ये घातयिष्यति मानदः सुरकार्यार्थम् उत्पन्नो मानुष्यं वपुर् आस्थितः
He will slay all earthly kings in battle, bestowing honor; for the sake of the gods, he has appeared, assuming a human form.
नहि देवगणाः शक्तास् त्रिविक्रमविनाकृताः भुवने देवकार्याणि कर्तुं नायकवर्जितः
Indeed, the hosts of gods are powerless to accomplish divine tasks in the world without Trivikrama, lacking a leader.
नायकः सर्वभूतानां सर्वभूतनमस्कृतः एतस्य देवनाथस्य कार्यस्य च परस्य च
He is the leader of all beings, worshipped by all creatures, for this task of the lord of the gods and for the supreme purpose.